Freedom
by FeistyDreams
Summary: Asuna is finally released from physical therapy, and enjoys a walk with her boyfriend afterwards.


It was a big day.

Kazuto stood outside the hospital, leaning near a bench facing the main entrance. He had wanted to go inside, but Asuna had insisted on meeting him out front. Glancing at his watch, he noted it was a few minutes after the agreed upon time, which really wasn't too surprising. He'd known she'd likely be discharged late, but he had still wanted to get there early. The March air was warm, and the sweet scent carried the promise of spring and new beginnings. It was hard to complain about waiting out in such beautiful weather, and he looked around with a thought. Finding a nice patch of grass by a tree, he sat back, folding arms under his head.

"Ahh, it must be nice to have time to slack off like this," a gentle voice teased him what seemed like only a moment later.

He grinned and didn't bother to open his eyes, reaching out to where he felt her hand would be, grasping it carefully and giving a playful tug. "Hm. Well, the weather setting is very nice today."

Laughing at the old banter as she landed on her knees by his side, Asuna twisted to look at him. A warm smile softened her features, and she eased fingertips over his bangs, pushing them away from his eyes. "Saying such silly things. This isn't VR, you know."

"No. Hm. I suppose you're right. But does that make me wrong?"

"I guess not."

"Join me."

"Eh? Oh, come on, I'm just released from physical therapy for good, now! I want to go walking somewhere." She pouted at him, and he finally opened an eye as he sensed the expression that was turned on him.

Smiling, he sought out a hand, finding thin fingers settled over soft thighs. They had touched plenty of times in Sword Art Online, but the real world was a different matter, and she let out a soft gasp when the pads of his fingers danced over sensitive skin before finding what they searched for. "Isn't walking what you've been doing all day in therapy? Don't you think it's a nice time to relax in the sun instead?"

She puffed out her cheeks angrily, the expression fading into a smile quickly. She giggled and reached over to flick his forehead gently, teasing him, "If that's the case, then why are you in the shade?"

"Huh?" Looking up at the tree branches hanging over him, he stared as if seeing them for the first time. After a moment, they both laughed, and he finally sat up with a goofy grin. "Well, I guess you're right about that." Squeezing her fingers, he looked at her full on, a rare, genuine smile lighting up his face and making him seem even younger than his youthful features belied. "Congratulations on completing your physical therapy, Yuuki Asuna."

"Thank you, Kirito-kun." She still had a hard time calling him by his real name, no matter how many times he chided her for it, and he'd given up after just a week and accepted that she wasn't likely to stop anytime soon. Picking up her hand, he kissed her knuckles with his eyes locked on hers, lips lingering far longer than they had to. "If you don't stop that, the harassment window is going to pop up..."

Grinning against her skin, he playfully licked her knuckles before pulling away. She yelped and held her hand close to her chest, looking at him with a fierce blush as he chuckled. "Now who's confusing real life for VR?"

"Oh, you...," she scowled at him, tapping his head as punishment for teasing her.

He pretended to be hurt, rubbing his head, but when she didn't change her expression, he gave her a rueful grin instead. "All right, all right. So. Since it's your day, what did you want to do?"

Sitting back on her heels, she thought about it, looking up at the sky beyond the leaves of the branches covering them. Her fingers fiddled nervously over her knees, and eventually she came to the conclusion that she just didn't know. Shrugging, she smiled over to her boyfriend and spoke timidly, "Actually, I'm really not sure. As long as Kirito-kun is by my side, I'm happy."

"Then...," he looked over her shoulder at the vast blue sky she'd had her attentions on just moments earlier. "Why don't we walk around for a bit, and you can come over for dinner. It's me and Suguha's turn to cook tonight, if you're brave enough to try my cooking." He turned to her with a darkened expression, his voice turning spooky with the last few words, as though he were telling a scary story.

Asuna covered her mouth as she laughed, shaking her head at him. "Ah, I think I'd like that very much!"

"Well, it can't compare to your cooking, so I hope it'll be all right."

"As long as it's a little more involved than pouring custard over bread, I think it'll be great."

"Hm. Ah, speaking of, why don't we pick up a cake while we're out? Since it's a day to celebrate, after all."

She pouted over at him, wrapping arms around her waist, "Ah, you're trying to make me fat, is that it?"

Chuckling, he pulled her arms away and yanked her close for a hug, tucking her head under his chin. "Not at all. Besides, you still haven't finished putting weight back on after SAO..."

"Ah, what about you? You're practically as skinny as I am, and you've been out longer!"

"Hm, that. I'm always like this."

"That hardly seems fair..."

Kissing the top of her head, he stroked her hair softly and she relaxed in his hold. She leaned against his chest, closing her eyes and feeling safe and warm in his arms. The minutes passed as they sat there on the patch of grass in front of the fancy hospital until a chill breeze reminded them that winter hadn't been over for long, even if spring was making itself known. "Ah, I guess we should start moving..."

"Mm. Come on." Kazuto stood up, holding her hands and bringing her to her feet with him. They were almost the same height, and he only had to turn his gaze downward just a touch to meet hers. He leaned forward, kissing her forehead sweetly as she giggled. "Hm? Hey. What's so funny?"

"You're kind of short, aren't you, Kirito-kun?"

"Hey! Y-You try going through a growth spurt when you're stuck on a gel bed for two years! Ah, so unfair, girls grow earlier than boys, it can't be helped, I'll probably be short forever now..." Acting depressed, he looked at Asuna with wide eyes, trying to play the part of a kicked puppy.

Not fooled for a moment, she grabbed his cheeks and tugged playfully, laughing when he flailed and protested. "I think you'd be short anyways. You have that kind of frame. Didn't you say it yourself, that you're 'always like this'?"

Rubbing his cheeks, he sighed, turning to look out to the paved paths and the roads beyond the gates leading to the hospital grounds. "You're too cruel. Ah, come on. Let's head out before it gets dark."

"Yeah...," she nodded, following his gaze. His fingers slipped between hers and gave a squeeze, tugging her over to the path and leading them away from the place she had spent over two years of life at while lost in Aincrad and Alfheim, and then where she had to return to for rehabilitation. It was a little sad, that her family didn't see the successful conclusion to her physical therapy to be anything worth celebrating, but Kazuto had insisted on seeing her that day especially, and to make sure she enjoyed herself. He hadn't said as much, but it was obvious in the words he did say, and that earnest look in his eyes. They walked in silence for some time as she let him lead her around, and she simply stared at him for most of the time. "But, you know," he looked over at her curiously when she broke the silence hesitantly, and she smiled as she continued on, "Kirito-kun might not be tall, but you've got a big presence. I think that's why I didn't even really notice, until now..."

He sighed, grinning ruefully and shaking his head, "Ahh, you're still on that?"

Giggling, she hugged his arm, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "Mmhmm. Because, well, I wanted to understand why I never noticed. I finally figured it out."

"Well, I suppose I should thank you." He scratched his cheek nervously, looking straight ahead. He could feel her looking curiously up at him, and he fumbled for an answer, "Ah, that is, because you took all that time to figure it out."

She stared at him a moment longer, and he couldn't stand the feeling of her gaze boring into him from the side any more. He finally turned to meet her expression, and she smiled at him, shaking her head slightly. "Ah, no, it's not worth thanking me for. I was trying to figure it out for myself, you know."

Lifting his hands slowly, he settled them on her cheeks, watching as her face heated up at the public display. His expression was completely serious as he stared at her intently, her eyes locked on his as she found it impossible to look away. "Maybe...," he started softly, then lightly pinched her cheeks and tugged, as she had done to him earlier, a mischievous grin on his face now. "Maybe you're just too tall!"

"Ow! Ki-Kirito-kun, so mean!" Pouting at him as he let go of her cheeks and laughed, she scowled when he turned to keep walking like normal. "Ooh! You think you can just get away with that, do you!?"

"Yup!"

"How...!" Clenching her jaw, she started chasing after him, the first heavy pound of a foot on sidewalk alerting him and sending him running away. She chased him just a couple blocks before he let himself get caught and have his punishment delivered. "You're so unfair! I'll have you know, I'm a perfectly acceptable height for a girl my age, _you're_ the weird one!"

"Ah! I know, I know! Please, mercy!"

"Never!"

They accidentally bumped into a man walking down the street and immediately paused, turning to look at him sheepishly. Bowing and murmuring apologies, they listened to his short acceptance and mutterings as he left. Standing straight, they watched after him a moment, their faces slightly heated with shame for their actions. Once they turned to look at one another, they smiled and then dissolved into a fit of giggles. Lightly tapping her fist against the top of Kazuto's head, Asuna chuckled and shook her head, smiling as he took his hand in hers as they started walking once more. "So mean..."

"I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"I mentioned cake, didn't I? Or would you like something different? A parfait, maybe?"

Smiling, she gave his fingers a slight squeeze, shaking her head. "Cake would be nice. Then we can share with everyone."

"Then how is it making it up to _you_?"

"Because it'll make me happy to see everyone else happy."

He smiled at her again and nodded. Pulling them off to the side, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple, lingering for a moment as he loosely ran fingers through her long hair. "My family will adore you, you don't have to worry."

"Thank you... Still, it's what I'd like. If we could, I'd like to get a gift, too, to present when I visit for the first time..."

"It's not necessary, but if that's what you'd like, then that's what we'll do."

"Thank you, Kirito-kun."

"Kazuto."

"I know!" Laughing at the mistake she made all the time, they turned to walk down the street once more, looking around the small shops in the neighborhood while they took their time returning to the Kirigaya household. Eventually, they found a cake that Kazuto bought for her, and she found a basket of fruit that seemed like a decent gift to thank his family for their hospitality in having her over that evening.

Nearing his home, he smiled over at her, carrying both items, one in each hand. "How are you feeling? Tired at all?"

She shook her head, a calm expression on her face. "No, not really. Maybe a little, but nothing that relaxing for a few minutes won't help."

"Good. I didn't want to push too hard."

"I just got out of physical therapy! I'm fine now, remember?"

"I guess. I still got tired easily for awhile after I finished mine. So I wanted to be sure."

"Eh? Mm. Yeah. I'll let you know if I get too tired. Promise!"

He nodded, looking relieved, and she kissed his cheek, thanking him for his concern. Fixing his hold on the bags, he leaned forward to return the gesture, straightening up after and pausing in front of the home that bore his family name out front. "We're here. Ready to meet them?"

"Yes! Thank you!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** This was primarily a character practice, so any feedback on my portrayal would be greatly appreciated! Thank you, I hope you enjoyed!


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